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2024: General Discussion

AT86 said:
The stage on the lawns only has planning consent until August 2024.

The park have submitted an application to remove or amend some of the conditions of that planning. The full docs aren't available yet, but it appears the conditions they want to amend/remove are related to the length of time the stage can stay on the lawns and the hours in which they use the stage.

It is likely at its most basic to be an extension of the planning permission so they can keep it for longer, and potentially enable them to use the stage for longer hours.

New application:

Planning Application - Staffordshire Moorlands District Council

How to make a comment, support, or object to, an application.
publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk

Original planning permission:

Planning Applications - Staffordshire Moorlands District Council

How to make an application and what it will cost
publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk
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Post edited as more documentation was added:

Some documentation has been added to the application this morning. The covering letter states that park are looking to extend the planning permission for a further five years and extend its operational hours towards the end of the season.
In order to secure the continued operation of the temporary stage, this application seeks to extend thetemporary timeframe of the permission, as set out under condition 1, by a period of five years. This would allow for the use of the temporary stage to be permitted until 15th August 2029.

It is proposed to amend the wording of condition 1 to: “This permission shall be for a temporary period of 5 years only from the date of this decision. The staging and all associated equipment/works hereby permitted shall be fully removed from the sites and the land restored to its former condition on or before 15th August 2029.”
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Octoberfest has become a well established and popular series of events at Alton Towers Resort. It takes place in mid September, throughout October and up until the 7th of November. To allow for the use of the stage during the ATR’s Octoberfest, this application seeks to amend the wording of Condition 6 as follows:

“The stage hereby permitted shall only be used between the hours of 11am to 7pm from 1st February to 31th August and between 11am to 9pm during September, October and up to 7th November and between 11am to 8pm from 8th November to 31th January.”
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Is it just me or is ripsaw back? (The image is from the site plan in the new planning application) 1705662164628.png
 
havaska said:
You know what. Alton Towers could do well to build a new log flume. Obviously something smaller than before but I feel like it would be a big hit.
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They could possibly build a small family log flume ride similar to what Drayton Manor have in Thomas Land and also the one which is currently being built down at Paultons. Saying that, I think new flat rides should be a priority for the park first.
 
From a pure speculation point of view what do we think the odds of Alton Towers could be having a massive 'sparkle project' like what we're seeing at Thorpe park, it really really needs it and although lots of the budget has gone the nemesis reborn even more budget would be going to hyperia so I'm not ruling it out.

Let's just hope towers aren't struggling to get rides open this season as every visit I had it was just a case of being in the right place at the right time to tick off any coasters by 11am and watched a few vlogs and it seemed to be the case a lot, coaster studios pointed it out in his vlog especially.
 
George W said:
From a pure speculation point of view what do we think the odds of Alton Towers could be having a massive 'sparkle project' like what we're seeing at Thorpe park, it really really needs it and although lots of the budget has gone the nemesis reborn even more budget would be going to hyperia so I'm not ruling it out.

Let's just hope towers aren't struggling to get rides open this season as every visit I had it was just a case of being in the right place at the right time to tick off any coasters by 11am and watched a few vlogs and it seemed to be the case a lot, coaster studios pointed it out in his vlog especially.
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Ride reliability in 2023 was shocking, the worst I have ever seen it. I didn't have one day amongst several visits in which a ride didn't go down either whilst queuing or whilst en route to it. On a couple of occasions it was even difficult to find anything open to ride.

Getting this under control HAS to be the priority for 2024 above all else.

I'd love to see the park given a spruce up - the gardens restored, new paintwork and (typo-free!) signage for the rides, etc. but frankly I would take a bit of enduring scruffiness if they can just get back to operating the rides as they should be operated.
 
NuttySquirrel said:
Ride reliability in 2023 was shocking, the worst I have ever seen it. I didn't have one day amongst several visits in which a ride didn't go down either whilst queuing or whilst en route to it. On a couple of occasions it was even difficult to find anything open to ride.

Getting this under control HAS to be the priority for 2024 above all else.

I'd love to see the park given a spruce up - the gardens restored, new paintwork and (typo-free!) signage for the rides, etc. but frankly I would take a bit of enduring scruffiness if they can just get back to operating the rides as they should be operated.
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Who knows, wouldn't surprise me if they try their hardest to get everything ready for the next season.

As the one thing I love about the new management is how transparent they're being with ride availability and the reasons for ride closures.

And plus how they themed the bloody lorries being in the new track for Nemesis! Hell, I loved how they added in the Phalanx as a larger organisation, not just a side thought for Sub-terra. And all the Phalanx themed marketing was brilliantly done.
 
George W said:
From a pure speculation point of view what do we think the odds of Alton Towers could be having a massive 'sparkle project' like what we're seeing at Thorpe park, it really really needs it and although lots of the budget has gone the nemesis reborn even more budget would be going to hyperia so I'm not ruling it out.
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I think it’s just too early to tell. Thorpe are clearly taking a more ‘public’ approach to the work they are undertaking, releasing updates etc on social media and blogs. There is nothing to say that just because Towers aren’t splashing it around online that work isn’t taking place across the park.

What I would hope for is that instead of a programme of works across 1 or 2 seasons and then switching back to minimal upkeep once the money has run out, is a wholesale change in culture so that the presentation of the park is consistently worked on without things being left to fall into disrepair, but that will take time - and support from management at many levels to make it work.
 
If they maintain things properly it will be cheaper in the long run than letting things fall apart and then ultimately spending more on repairing and fixing them back to the standard they should be at.

All the cut backs to maintenance have just been false economy.
 
Before Christmas there was a crane moving around multiple parts of the resort. We also know Rita has been jet washed so it’s possible they are doing something and being less public.

Thorpe is more visible from outside the park so they may as well do stuff on social media as it’s going to get out anyway. Towers have a bit more control as other than drones it’s all a bit more private.
 
Dave said:
Before Christmas there was a crane moving around multiple parts of the resort. We also know Rita has been jet washed so it’s possible they are doing something and being less public.

Thorpe is more visible from outside the park so they may as well do stuff on social media as it’s going to get out anyway. Towers have a bit more control as other than drones it’s all a bit more private.
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As some have also pointed out, it can be rather embarrassing to have a "Sparkle" project promoted all over social media too. Why should a park be making a big deal about what should be routine maintenance, the bare minimum?

It works with Thorpe's audience, as the park very much appeals to a generation of over sharers, weaned on social media and transparent communication. It also works with the marketing direction they're taking, but I think Towers benefits a little from the mystique... As long as they do the work of course.
 
GooseOnTheLoose said:
As some have also pointed out, it can be rather embarrassing to have a "Sparkle" project promoted all over social media too. Why should a park be making a big deal about what should be routine maintenance, the bare minimum?

It works with Thorpe's audience, as the park very much appeals to a generation of over sharers, weaned on social media and transparent communication. It also works with the marketing direction they're taking, but I think Towers benefits a little from the mystique... As long as they do the work of course.
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The irony being Towers previously had a three year campaign showing this exact maintenance that Thorpe are doing and the majority lapped it up and applauded them.
 
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